IBM Universal Id: Not!

Rant!

I have an IBM Id that I recently used to sign on to Fix Central and download bunches of PTFs.

Tonight I went looking for a download for RDP8. I ended up at www.ibm.com/developerworks/downloads/r/rdp/ and pushed the download button. It asked for my IBM Id (and too the right it touted the benefits of a universal IBM user Id).

So I put in the Id I use for Fix Central and it says “We are sorry. There are no ibm.com accounts associated with the IBM ID and/or password entered.”

So I figure silly me, I’ve forgotten my password and I click the “Forgot your password?” link.

I enter my Fix Central Id, answer my secret question, and for the new password I put in what I thought the old password was. It tells me I can’t use it because I’ve used it before. (I had the right password I’m pretty sure.)

But I change to a new password, it's happy: I’m signed on and it says “Hi Sam.” I even go look at my profile to verify I am who I think I am. Yea, It’s me!

Then I go back to the RDP8 download site and click the download button again.

It wants my IBM Id and password again, even though I’m already signed in. So I grudgingly comply and it says “We are sorry. There are no ibm.com accounts associated with the IBM ID and/or password entered.”

Aaaargh!

Why is it so hard to give IBM money?

Sam